Improvement in steam-presses



' UNITED STATES PATENTV OFFICE.

P. G. GARDINER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-PRESSES.`

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 5,007, dated March 13, 18117; antcdatcd l January 1,3, 1847'.

T0 all whom, it 4may concern,.-

Be it-known that I, PERRY G. GARDINER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented anew and Improved Steam- Press for the Compressing of Cotton or other Substances; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2 is anl edge view; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section.

Similar letters refer to correspon ding parts in all the figures.

The nature of my invention consists, principally, in the combination of the platen of a press with the piston-rod of avertical 'steamcylinder by means of double toggle-joint levers and connecting-rods, in the manner hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings represent a press for compressing cotton.

The supporting-frame of the press is constructed of the corner-posts A A, the cappieces B B, the bed-pieces C C, the short ties B B', and the base-pieces D D and E E,unitedl in the usual manner.

F is a steam-cylinder (open at top) resting on the bed-pieces C C.

G is the bed, secured to the under side of the bed-pieces, against which the bales of `cotton are pressed.

I is the piston in the steam-cylinder, and J is the piston-rod attached to the same, projecting out of the top of the cylinder.

K K are wings resting upon the bed-pieces C G, filling the space between the cornerposts A'A and the steam-cylinder.

a is a flange on the upper end of the steamcylinder, having recesses in it for the recep-A tion of the upper inner corners of the wings K K. j

b is a ring projecting from the center of the steamcylinder,(cast solid with the same,) fitting into recesses in the inner edges of the Wings K K.

c is a flange on the bottom of the steam-cylinder. y

L L are forked levers. Their forked ends embrace the piston-rod J, and are connected to each other and to the piston-rod by the joint-pin 7c, formingatoggle-joint. The outer solid ends of the levers L L are embraced between the inner ends of the double levers M M,to which they are connected by the toggle-joint pins c e'. The outer ends of the double levers MM are supported by the jointpins @'12, having their bearing-boxes secured to the same. The elevation of the central togglejoints forces upward and outward the togglejoints uniting the levers L L and M M, and

thereby communicates motion to the Vplaten throughthe medium of the suspension-rods N N. As the piston-rod J is elevated, its upper end is guided and all lateral play prevented by means of rollers f f, acting on each edge of the same, having ilanges at their ends embracing the sides of the piston-rod.

g g are the bearings of the rollers f f, secured to the upper sides of the cap-pieces B B. The wings K K are combined with the steam-cylinder by means of the flange a and ring b, in the manner herein set forth, for the purpose of causing the levers M M to react upon the steam-.cylinder and prevent their straining the supporting-frame.

It will readily be perceived that the power of my improved press is progressive, and that the leverage may be varied by changing the proportions of the' levers L and M. By lengthening .the levers L and shortening the levers M, the amount of motion of the platen will be diminished land its power increased, and vice versa.

Having thus fully described the construe-- tion and operation of my improved steamsuch a manner as to bring the reaction of the levers principally upon the cylinder and the bed-piece C, substantially as herein set forth.

press, what claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, s-

The connecting the platen Hwith the piston-rod J through the medium of the toggle- I. G. GARDINER. joint levers M M and L L and the suspension Vitnesses: rods N N, arranged, combined, and operating HENRY R. GosMAN, with each other and with the Wings K K, in B. J. BROOKS. 

